BEIJING: Outlining the priorities of the government, Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday pledged to focus on adhering to a people-centered development approach, promoting high-quality development and deepening reform and opening-up.
The new Chinese premier met the press after the closing of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress, the country’s national legislature.
Li vowed to implement the important decisions and plans made at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which has laid out the country’s development plans for the next five years and beyond. The government will make solid efforts on every piece of work concerning the people’s livelihood, Li said, noting that the ultimate aim of the CPC and the government is to improve people’s well-being.
Most people do not keep their eyes on GDP growth all the time, Li said, explaining that what they care more about are the things that concern their everyday lives, such as housing, employment, income, education, medical services and environment. “Therefore, the government must always plan and carry out its work in light of what the people feel and act according to the people’s aspirations.” The premier said that the focus of the country’s development work is shifting from providing for people’s basic needs to improving people’s quality of life.
As the world’s second-largest economy, China has made great progress in economic and social development, but its development is still imbalanced and inadequate, he pointed out. “Any aggregate volume when divided by the 1.4 billion population will become a small per capita figure,” he said.
“In general, we should fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, work to create a new pattern of development, and focus on promoting high-quality development,” he said.
For the purpose, Li highlighted the need for enhancing scientific innovation capacity, modernizing the industrial system and continuing the transition towards green development.
Li added that deepening reform and opening-up is essential for advancing Chinese modernization and achieving the country’s Second Centenary Goal.
Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of reform and opening-up in China, the advent of which impacted not only China but the whole world, Li said China will open wider to the world and welcomes investors from across the globe.
Li voiced full confidence in the country’s economy, but stressed that redoubled efforts are required to meet China’s 2023 GDP growth target of around 5 percent.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
